Unusual kozuka treatment

[Ron STL]

Here is an interesting kozuka, shakudo, unsigned, that is finished in a manner I've never seen before. The design on it depicts a hung banner with some pine tree branches in he background. All of this is in a gold finish. It appears that after adding this design, the entire surface and design has been covered with nice quality nanako. I don't ever recall seeing this type of treatment ever before even in the books showing kozuka. Does anyone have any information on this kind of work or can direct me to another illustrated example? My guess is a late Edo product but it is well done and quite pleasing to see. The nanako makes the overall finish look almost like a textile print.

 

Ron STL

[Geraint]

Hi Ron.

 

Nice kodzuka and a technique that does crop up from time to time. Have a look at the ground on the kodzuka on this one; http://www.garthvincent.com/antique/837 ... ed+tanto+/ I have a feeling that I have seen a tsuba with a similar technique in the collection of the V and A museum, I'll see if I can find it.

[Lance]

Nice one, I recently saw a set of round button shaped menuki with a similar finish, and thought they looked like they were was made to resemble some kind of silk(?) fabric as well. I Attached are a couple images of a tsuba from part one of the Christie's Compton auction, lot 170, page 73. This one is just 3 mon on a shakudo base but same technique, described as Yoshioka school, might help point to them or a different group that was influenced by them? If you have the catalogs the oversized pictures in the catalog make for a much better comparison than my poor photography.

Regards,

Lance

[Ron STL]

Thanks Geraint, Lance...and here I thought I'd seen most all of it. :D I do have the Compton sales books but haven't looked at them in ages; I'll check out tomorrow. Yoshioka...I'll have to remember that.

 

Ron STL

[nagamaki - Franco]

Unconvinced the nanako came after these patterns, but my mind could be changed. Anyone?

[IanB]

I was under the impression this technique was supposed to imitate gold brocade. I once owned an tanto with the fuchi / gashira done in shakudo with gold karakusa that had then been given a nanako finish. The effect was very convincing.

Ian Bottomley

[Lee Bray]

I'm with Franco; the nanako will be done first with the gold applied over that and then given patina.

Not 100% sure how the gold is applied, possibly butter of gold carefully 'painted' on with a stencil and then fired off?

It's not inlay and it's not nunome-zogan.

If the nanako were done afterwards, the details in the designs would be distorted with the metal deformation.

[Geraint]

Franco, Lee.

 

Try the link I gave, go to full screen on the kodzuka and zoom in. I think you will see the irregularity you are looking for. Given fine nanako you would achieve the same effect as a low resolution digital image. I have seen it referred to as an attempt to create the impression of brocade as Ian says. Logical way to do it would be inlay first, honzogan I suspect and then nanako. The tsuba I was thinking of is in Robinson, "Arts of the Japanese Sword", plate 4. A tsuba with an inlaid butterfly given this treatment, signed, Wada Isshin Masatatsu according to the caption.

[Brian]

I'm with Lee. I think the gold is done after. Nanako would remove the gold during the punching imho.

Will have to ask Ford.

 

Brian

[Ray Singer]

There is a koshirae for sale now with the fuchigashira done in this technique.

http://www.yamabushiantiques.com/KOSHIRAE19.htm

 

I was under the impression this technique was supposed to imitate gold brocade. I once owned an tanto with the fuchi / gashira done in shakudo with gold karakusa that had then been given a nanako finish. The effect was very convincing.

Ian Bottomley

[Ron STL]

Thanks for pointing me to the Compton and Robinson examples. Amazing that I missed these! I just sat down with the discussionkozuka and studied it closely with a loop. I can clearly see a thin layer of gold overlay on the design that has definitely been punched into place by applying nanako. Looking closely, you can see the edge of the gold and in a couple places, you can see where thie gold has been lost on a raised dot of nanako. The broader areas look to be of a sheet of gold but thinking about this, maybe the sheet gold was layed into place and applied punch by punch. That would make sense, sort of like appying nunome-zogan. All of this makes me want to keep this little tanto that carries this kozuka! My friend wants to sell it for pretty much retail. Ah, a time to bring out some trade beads, perhaps!

 

Ron STL

[Geraint]

For what it's worth, "Among the many Yanagawa offshoots the most famous are the Sano (inlay covered with nanako giving the effect of brocade." Robinson.

[nagamaki - Franco]

There is a koshirae for sale now with the fuchigashira done in this technique.http://www.yamabushiantiques.com/KOSHIRAE19.htm

 

Hi, I think what we're seeing in this example is not quite the same as Ron's. It appears to me (corrections, opposite views welcome), like inlaid gold wire followed by the nanako punch. You can clearly see the continuation of gold between the nanako peaks, plus the light reflected off the angled distortions created by the gold being punched.

 

In Ron's example the gold still looks 2 dimensional, a flat surface, which suggests to me that it was applied afterwards, at least portions of it. It would be nice to study in hand. Thanks, Ron, for sharing plus the additional descriptions.

[Geraint]

And just to pour oil on troubled waters or fat on the fire, Red Cross Catalogue, number 884. "Sano. The founder, Naoyoshi, was a Yanagawa pupil, the following pieces however have been selected to show the style of sumizogan on gold under nanako which originated with that school. (884 being illustrated).......the nanako being punched all over the surface after inlaying the gold."

 

That nanako is capable of being carried out over an inlayed surface is not a problem, the key or undercutting of the inlay being deeper than the nanako. Weather this is the technique applied to the kodzuka that started the discussion is a moot point. Some years ago Ford showed me a small piece of nunome zogan that was so fine it resembled morning mist so I suppose the idea of punching foil over a shakudo base is possible but certainly the hard way to do the job.

 

I really must get a hobby, no, wait this is a hobby!

[Lee Bray]

Again, I'm with Franco, and think that Raymond's example looks to be flush inlaid gold wire on a shakudo base with nanako done afterwards.

 

Geraint, I think the irregularity that you point out in your kodzuka example shows wear of the gold amalgam and possibly poor application of the amalgam when it was made. I don't think the irregularity we see is a result of nanako distortion. This also seems to be backed up by traces of gold in the black squares, noticeably at the closed end.

 

Only my opinion for the discussion, not fuel for any oily, troubled waters.

 

Ron, lovely kodzuka, no matter how it is done. Interesting topic.

[Ron STL]

I thought maybe seeing the little mumei tanto that sports this kogai looks like. Mumei blade that looks like early forging and hamon but only 7.6" of the tip of a once longer blade. Kogai is average-good quality as is the f/k (in Omori Teruhide style), etc. Owned by a local friend who wants $3,500 for it -- I hope this is okay to say that here? -- but I'm still reeling from handling the Bizen Kanemitsu daito at the SF show that is priced almost equal to my home. (What a fantastic sword that one is!!!)

Ron STL

[Ron STL]

Hi folks...this is an old topic by now but I thought I'd share some comments with you from Bob Haynes via Elliott Long (shibuiswords.com). Here is what Bob had to say about this type of work:

 

"Brocade inlay style, mostly made in Kyoto, rarely signed ca.1750-1800, a nanako artist 'Tour de Force', could be made by any great nanako-shi. The subject is a curtain that surrounds a general encampment area."

 

Just sharing...Ron STL

[Lindus]

Unless I have missed it, the guy to comment is of course Young Ford Hallem........

[docliss]

Another, rather fine example of this unusual decorative tecnique is illustrated on the Tsuruginoya web site:

 

http://www.tsuruginoya.com/mn1_3/b00074.html

 

John L.

[Ron STL]

Thanks John. Good high definition photo, too. I may print a copy of the photo and use it at a library sword talk I'm to give this Saturday. Nanako always has fascinated me and to see it used this way, it may impress my listeners.

Ron STL

[Geraint]

Hi Folks.

 

Just been browsing the Hartman catalogue and came across lot 183, fuchi, kashira, kogai and kodzuka signed Isshin Masatatsu. Would make an excellent koshirae with the tsuba illustrated in Robinson as Plate 4A also signed by this artist. Perhaps the Hartman set and the Tsuba in the V & A museum were originally a complete set. What a koshirae that would have made!